ethical distance

[stevewills]

went to a 3d shoot to get away this weekend..long story there,but anyways they had it set for ibo...shots averaged 25 plus yds.what do you guys feel is an ethical shot on game.i personaly keep it under 20 your thoughts,...

[pintail_drake2004]

depends on persons ability. i have seen personally a friend of mine shoot a standing deer target leathly and consistently at 100 yards with his recurve bow. but he refuses to take a shot over 30yds in a hunting situation.

i hunt alot with my compound in the early season and later on i use my longbow. my distances dont change with either. 25yards and under. any further than that, i feel there are too many "what if's" to justify the chance of wounding an animal.IMO

[Steel]

I try to stay 20 yards and under for deer/turkey/hogs but pratice out to 40 yards and shoot aleast 5 days a week year around. I killed my biggest buck ever a 170+" buck at 30 yards off the ground while stalking this fall.I made a perfect shot he was down in 60 yards I watched him fall. To be honest I never thought I would be able to shoot 30 or 40 yards with a longbow but since starting to pratice at those ranges and shooting almost daliy it has become almost easy to me still I will not shoot over 30 yards on game.

[Bakes168]

I depends on your ability for the most part. I like to keep my shots at 20 yards and under.

[Gray Buffalo]

When hunting I keep my shots under 20 yards but when playing its fun to shoot a longer distances.    

[Missouri Sherpa]

Depends on the situation.  I prefer closer but take the best, shot I think I can make.  My limit is 45 yards and I have killed elk, deer and hogs at that range.  You can count the animals I have shot and not recovered on one hand so don't get the idea that I am just flinging arrows all over the place.   If I think I can get a better slam dunk shot I can wait for it.  For instance at last years Texas Sweat I had a broadside shot at a giant hog, 12 yards in the dark at a water hole.  I was content to wait for him to come down to the waters edge in front of my blind for a 7 yard shot that I probably would not miss even in low light conditions.  As it turns out the hog turned broadside to the other guy across the waterhole who took the shot and I didn't get the opportunity.  I will pass shorter shots if everything is not perfect but usually under optimal conditions I will not hesitate at a longer range.  Just because I shoot that range doesn't mean I condone or condemn anyone else for doing so.

[Bonebuster]

Regardless of a hunters ability to shoot, distance
adds a variable that cannot always be measured.

Experience and confidence come into play when deciding on an ethical shot distance.

The more experienced, and confident I become...the closer I like them.

I remember the first time I passed a shot with a recurve that I would have taken with my sighted compound. I lowered my bow to the ground after it got dark with a feeling of satisfaction I had rarely ever had before.

And so it goes.

[Mick]

Amen to what Bonebuster said!
The closer the better, to each his(her) own ability.

Mick  

[longbowben]

My abilty is under 25,BUT i try to stay close.

[trashwood]

yes Buuuuut if ya clean the IBO range think about how much confidence that would give ya at your hunting range  

rusty

[Larry247]

30yds is about my limit and like others have said, "closer is better".

[Str8Shooter]

I think this is a difficult one to answer in black and white terms. It's fine to set a max distance but, as any hunter knows, it truly depends on the situation.

Personally, under ideal conditions, I can keep very good accuracy out to 50 yds. But, on a live animal, I prefer 25 yds. or less.

After several hours in the freezing Wisconin cold I want them close enough to drop arrows onto. :-)

[toddster]

STEVE-  I personally don't try and take a shot over 20 yards, but I don't practice out much past 25 consistantly either.  For the game and how I hunt I find it hard to get a shot, where I hunt much over 20 yards anyway.  I feel that a person who practices consistantly can shoot at game up to 50 yards effectily, but again personal ethics, bottom line know where you are effective and stick to it, too many animals lost by letting ego getting in way of ethics (yes, happen to myself before and hate it).  3-D wise, I understand your frustration, but understand that most of them are set up for competition not hunting.  The old NFAA course was set up to 40 yeards I believe, but the old timers (no offense to anyone) use to practice that often.  I have many times went to a shoot where I didn't feel comfortable shooting to far for me, so I just shoot where I feel comfortable keep my own score and don't turn it in.  Though it is nice once and a while to challenge yourself and push the limits.

[toddster]

One other thing, last year was at a 3-D shoot and talking to some people meet now and then (old wheel buddies).  As we shot a few targets together, they complained that they thought the course was to easy for them, and targets should be farther distance.  After 3 targets of this I said "you don't need them farther to make it more challenging, just change it".  They looked at me and said how.  The next target I didn't step up to the stake but stood in the brush with a little shot hole, and took it, (like a hunting shot).  They thought I was crazy but after some pushing from me they tried it and said it was harder.  So the next few we did this and then on the last they said the worst thing to me, "Heck we can shoot better than you  no matter what you do!"  Well, I walked up to about 18 yards, layed down (which I love to practice, not jsut because I am lazy ha-ha).  Drew and shot the target in the vitals, (yes little luck here).  Stood up and turned and said, "okay, who is next?"  Do you belive not one would even try.

[mcgroundstalker]

Grey Buffalo, Bonebuster and toddster are right on the money! Hunting and 3D are NOT the same. It's fun to try (long) shots at the target range. They are set up for the wheelie guys and wide open. Step off the stake and you are back to the real world. (For eastern woods hunting anyway) I also dig shootin' close and through cover with my legs twisted around. "I Don't Need No Stinkin' Score Card!" ...  :rolleyes:  ...

Oh Yea.... My ethical distance, 20 yards.  

... mike ...     ...

[SteveB]

I see now why there has been virtually no interest in the IBO offering a Trad only Worlds this year. :(  

There is no way I can tell anyone what THEIR ethical distance is. And anyone trying to tell me mine is simply blowing smoke.  

Smoke

[Night Wing]

I practice at 25 yards outside, but when bowhunting, I like to keep shoot game between 10-20 yards.

[Terry Green]

I don't have a set yardage limit.  Depends on the animal I'm hunting, and the situation.

[ChuckC]

I do have a set yardage limit.  I will not shoot at an animal over 150 yards away.   Won't do it.
ChuckC

[ChuckC]

As a follow up....  I really don't spend a lot of time sitting in the woods judging distances and I am guessing that I can't tell twenty from twenty five yards in most of the places I hunt.

I want the critter close.  If I feel good about the shot, I will take it.  If it doesn't feel right,  I watch it walk.  

By the way....  20 yards is under 150 yards.
ChuckC